Returning to Sports Post-COVID: Where Public Health and Strength & Conditioning Meet

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Returning to Sports Post-COVID: Where Public Health and Strength & Conditioning Meet

As we re-open America and return to what we have started to call “the new normal,” how do we go from at-home body weight workouts and driveway hoops (perhaps inspired by The Last Dance) to assembling with our team to practice, train, compete, and offer friendship? Or for the opportunity to be a spectator or a sports parent and experience the joy of sports?

This question is definitely the hot topic and being asked not only in the sports arena but everywhere else–restaurants, the entertainment industry, schools, the workplace, everywhere.

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Equipment Settings vs. At-Home Workouts

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Equipment Settings vs. At-Home Workouts

Sport seasons have been canceled, schools have transitioned to remote learning for the rest of the academic year, and people everywhere are extremely limited when it comes to gym and weight room access. Athletes around the world have invested countless hours to develop their strength, athleticism, and performance. Coaches dedicate their livelihood to giving their athletes opportunities to succeed. At Volt, we believe in providing pathways for all to continue their fitness journey and thrive amidst the crisis at hand.

We now offer more at-home training options than ever before—and with more options come more decisions... The good thing is, we’re here to help with that decision. Whether you’re a coach setting up your team for success or an athlete trying to make the most of your situation, we’re here to help you solve one of the most frequently-asked-questions from the Volt Family:

Should I stick with my original program and adjust my Equipment Settings, or should I make the switch to an At-Home Workout program?

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The Ultimate At-Home Workout Upgrade: Introducing Equipment Settings

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The Ultimate At-Home Workout Upgrade: Introducing Equipment Settings

Life-as-we-know-it has changed dramatically over the past month. With gyms across the nation shutting their doors and many mandatory social-distancing orders in place, access to gym equipment simply isn’t in the cards for most people. As we’ve all been adjusting our lives to this new normal, it’s as important as ever (for physical and mental health) that we stay active.

With that in mind, our team at virtual Volt HQ has been working tirelessly to help you maintain your workout routine, whether your gym is a garage, backyard, or living room. As part of that effort, we’ve been building a brand new feature that enables you to customize your workout program based on your available equipment. I’m excited to announce that with our latest update, that feature is now live and available within the Volt app!

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Training during COVID-19: Back to the Basics of Movement, Health & Sports Science

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Training during COVID-19: Back to the Basics of Movement, Health & Sports Science

This may be a good time to re-set and return to the basics. Re-set not only our basic movement patterns and strength training regimen but also slow down; keep it local; re-connect with our neighborhood; play backyard and playground games; find simplicity and solitude; reading; self-assess who we are and what matters; appreciate humanity, etc.

And finally, let’s keep in mind the social connections that humans need to sustain quality of life. Yes, physical activity, strength training, nutrition, sleep, stress reduction and relaxation are all important to health and well-being, but when it comes down to it, the number 1 determinant of happiness and a good life is…positive social relationships.

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Raising the Bar with Workplace Wellness

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I have never been a CEO or business owner. But, I have been a head coach. I’ve wanted my athletes to feel that every practice or training session was efficient and productive. I’ve wanted the athletes to be focused and put in 100 percent effort. And, most importantly, I’ve wanted my athletes to get good work done. You hear coaches yell it all the time: “Hey, let’s get to work!”

Hmmm…sounds a lot like a CEO, doesn’t it? Just exchange ‘employees’ for ‘athletes.’

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#WHYITRAIN: The Big 5-0. Reflections on LTAD, Aging and a Healthy Lifestyle

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I remember hearing in the early days of my academic career “it’s interesting to see how researchers turn their attention to the effects of aging on the cardiovascular system, strength, etc. when they get older.” I’m not here to tell you that I am shifting my focus from pediatric exercise science and youth athletic development to aging. It just happens that I’m a bit more interested personally in aging as I turn the Big 5-0, and get to experience all of age’s great effects!

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Why Everyone–Not Just Athletes–Needs Resistance Training

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Strength Training—it’s all about biceps, barbells, dumbbells, and meatheads, right? Well, that’s simply wrong! 

Strength training is a form of physical activity and exercise that should be part of everyone’s pursuit of health and fitness. Youth. Teens. 20-somethings. Adults. Grandmas and Grandpas. Aunts and Uncles. Athletes. Recreational athletes. Powerlifters. Gym rats. Firefighters. Military. Teachers. Lawyers. Diabetics. Cancer survivors. Small business owners. Software engineers. Everyone!

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Big Updates, Thanks to You!

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Big Updates, Thanks to You!

🚨 New feature alert! 🚨 As Head of Training Experience here at Volt HQ, a big part of my job is to listen to our users and help turn your feedback into improvements to your experience using the Volt app. In our latest release, we’ve redesigned some existing experiences and introduced some new features that are a direct result of the awesome feedback we’ve gotten from you. Read more about what you’ll see in this release, and be sure to update your app to experience it for yourself!

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Are You Ready for the ACFT?

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Are You Ready for the ACFT?

October 2020 will mark a serious shift in the fitness culture of the U.S. Army. The APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test), the Army’s relied-upon physical fitness test for all soldiers, will officially be retired and replaced by the ACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test). Since 1980, soldiers needed only a pair of running shoes to prepare themselves for their assessment of physical readiness. The days of simplistic running, push-ups, and sit-ups are coming to an end. Read on to learn about the new ACFT and why it’s revolutionizing how the U.S. prepares soldiers for duty.

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The Nature-Nurture Debate in Sports: Are Athletes Born or Built?

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 What does it take to be a great athlete? Some say that “DNA is destiny” or “it’s all in the genes.”

Other people will vehemently answer this question with “it just takes a big heart: (figuratively, not literally) or “hard work, just good old-fashioned hard work.” This latter response falls in line with the thinking of the “10,000 hour rule”—which was misconstrued in Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers. This thinking also aligns with Daniel Coyle’s book The Talent Code about how greatness isn’t born, it’s a matter of how it’s nurtured.

This, of course, brings us to the age-old nature-nurture debate. Despite articles and opinions on both sides, I’m here to tell you that it is not a debate—because, athleticism requires both nature and nurture. 

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